I create a custom image view by extending ImageView that just draws some text on the screen, however I don't see anything painted in the Emulator Screen, but the log messages and the printlns get printed in the log console. Am I not doing something?

Have you checked your canvas size? An image view expects the bitmap/drawable to return its size and based on the scaletype flags, determine the size of the view. I don't see anything in your code that determines the size of the view for layout needs.